“My partner fixates on numbers,” a fan’s email reads. “He thinks a good line of play is the one that will work most often — whether it actually works or not.”

My fan’s partner was declarer at four spades. He took the ace of hearts, did some mental calculations and cashed the three top trumps. When East discarded, South started the clubs, but his number was up when West ruffed the third club and the defense took three diamonds.

PERCENTAGES

“My partner said his play would work if trumps broke 3-3 or if a defender had J-x or the singleton jack: about a 54 percent chance in all. He would still be safe if a defender with J-x-x-x had three or more clubs. I think our partnership’s days are numbered.”

South was so focused on arithmetic that he missed the correct play. At Trick Two he should let the ten of trumps ride. Even when West takes the jack, South is safe. If the defense leads three rounds of diamonds, South can ruff with dummy’s king and reach his hand to draw trumps.

ANSWER: Although it’s possible that two clubs is your last makeable contract, the reasonable chances for game oblige you to bid again. You have eight good points, and partner may have as many as 18. A bid of 2NT or two spades would be misdescriptive. Bid two hearts. If partner must pass, you’ll be at a playable spot.

More in News

Investigators believe a Russian couple knocked their victims out with sedatives, then skinned them alive. Afterward, police say, they ate parts of their victims, froze the remains or packed them in jars filled with saline solution.

Otto Warmbier was arrested in January 2016 at the end of a brief tourist visit to North Korea. He had been medically evacuated and was being treated at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center when he died at age 22.